The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them (Pr 11:3); Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool (19:1); The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him (20:7).

Dear Praying Friends,

In 1879, Congress declared George Washington's birthday, February 22, a federal holiday. Because Abraham Lincoln was born on the 12th, some states have combined both birthdays into "President's Day." Other states continue to observe both days. Pressured by retailers, Congress changed the observance to the third Monday of February in 1971.

While George Washington's confession, "I can't tell a lie, Pa... I did cut it [the cherry tree]" may have been a legend, born in the heart of Parson Weems, Washington's unimpeachable integrity was at the foundation of his great legacy. He reportedly often spent two hours daily - one in the morning, one in the evening, in prayer and Bible study, even as President.

The famous quote, "I cannot tell a lie," was also attributed to Abraham Lincoln. His was a marked Christian pilgrimage. Some Christian historians believe Lincoln, though a serious student of scripture, may not have been born-again until late in his life, perhaps following the death of his son, Willie. Lincoln, too, is remembered for his integrity.

Abraham Lincoln [was] born in 1809 in a log cabin near Hodgenville, Kentucky. Long before he became president, Lincoln's friends and acquaintances called him "Honest Abe."

When he was a boy in Indiana, he borrowed a book about George Washington from a neighbor, Josiah Crawford. After rainwater ruined it, he went straight to Crawford, owned up to what had happened, and spent three days in Crawford's cornfield working to pay for the book.

When Lincoln was a young storekeeper in New Salem, Illinois, he accidentally shortchanged a customer by six and a quarter cents. As soon as he discovered the error, he closed the shop and walked six miles to pay the money back.

Lincoln's store was not a success. He and his partner, William Berry, went into debt trying to make a go of it. The store "winked out" anyway, as Lincoln put it, and left him owing a great deal of money, especially after Berry died. He could have done what so many others in similar situations did -- simply head west for new frontiers and leave the debt behind. But he resolved to stay. For a young man of his means, it was a large burden. He called it, with grim humor, his "national debt." It took him several years, but he paid it all back.

His reputation as a lawyer caused people to say, "He'll be fair and square." One time he forced a law partner to give back half the fee the man had charged a client. "That money comes out of the pocket of a poor, demented girl," he said, "and I would rather starve than swindle her."

It is no coincidence that one of our most beloved presidents was a man who held himself to the highest standards of truthfulness (William J. Bennett & John T.E. Cribb; The American Patriot's Almanac, 2008)

How desperately America needs the lift that comes from godly leadership -- not of men with swagger, power, pomp, even influence, or command -- BUT INTEGRITY. Such men move children, teenagers, and adults of every age to aspire to integrity. Our prayers for "all men," including "those in authority" per 2 Tim 2:1-8 will result in Awakening and better future leaders.

Washington, A Man of Prayer 2014 - On May 7th, this special event will take place in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall in Washington, DC. Only members of Congress and their wives are invited onsite, but churches, families and others can experience the event live via the internet or Daystar TV. Gov. Mike Huckabee, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tony Perkins, Dr. Jim Garlow, Pastor, Skyline Church, Bishop Harry Jackson, and others, will be on the program. Urge your pastor to host WMOP at your church's midweek service via webcast. Customizable promotional materials and school curriculum (K-12) are available at no charge. WMOP, in its third year, was born in the heart of Texas Pastor Dan Cummins. You and your church will be inspired to pray more and better (visit www.WashingtonAManOfPrayer.com).

May God use the memory of great men who feared God to reawaken America to God and righteousness. May God use this event both to move upon the hearts of our leaders in Washington and believer and unbelievers across America! (Ex 18:21; 1 Cor 11:2; 1 Tim 1:1-8; 3:2-13; Heb 13:7)

Obamacare and Lawlessness - President Obama has changed 18 key components and deadlines in the Affordable Care Act, rewriting the law without Congressional consultation or approval. While he defies the Constitution, he pours contempt upon Americans who understand and esteem it. He promised and is using "pen and phone" and "Executive Orders," to do end-runs around Congress! Meanwhile, conservative thinkers and policymakers are working on alternative measures that would be a vast improvement over Obamacare (see A Winning Alternative; A Starting Point; Obamacare Unravels; 29 Hour Workweeks; Jobs; see also Christian Medi-Share; Samaritan Ministries private, non-insurance options available to Christians now).

Even the Washington Post is commenting on the extraordinary dishonesty that flows from this administration (e.g., "If you like your health care plan, you can keep it"). One by one, longtime congressional supporters are peeling off, worried about their own political futures. Few Americans want this lawlessness to continue, but it is spreading now to the states. Both state office holders and federal judges are engaging in lawlessness by refusing to uphold marriage laws or overturning them altogether - despite overwhelming public support. (see What Can be Done?; Obama Pinocchios, Lawlessness; Government's End; Southern Poverty Lawless Center; End Marriage).

Thank God for a 24-7 prayer movement that is seeking God's deliverance of America. May God give wisdom and success to those laboring to develop an alternative to Obamacare! May men of action who fear God stand up to every lie and hold every leader accountable to truth and the Constitution (1Kg 9:4-5; Ps 11:all; 19:15-22; 88:1-2; 149:6-9; Is 62:6-7; Lk 18:1-8; 1 Cor 5:2-3; Rev 8:3-5).

Finally, in last week's Prayer Targets I unintentionally waded into the 400-year old Calvinist-Arminian debate with a quote from Dr. Lorraine Boettner's Calvinism in America. He wrote of the powerful impact Calvinist clergymen and civil leaders had in the colonial era. My intent was not to promote Calvinism, but to engender a godly awe over God's use of these dedicated men to profoundly impact the founding of American culture and government. They did not sit back and wait for someone else to defend their flocks, their colonies or their country against tyranny. They led their flocks into spiritual warfare and in the case of some, like Jonas Clark, into the War for Independence. Those pastors felt God-given responsibility not just for their church members, but all their countrymen. We desperately need men like Jonas Clark and John Witherspoon today, men who will take big risks to preserve our liberty. The excerpt I quoted was historically accurate. Whether Calvinists, Arminians or otherwise, we can each draw inspiration from those early American pastor-patriots. While it is a historic fact that most were Calvinists, some were Catholics, Episcopalians, Baptists, Unitarians, Quakers, Deists, even a few were outspoken agnostics. Yet the rallying cry of the revolution was not "Calvin," "Luther," or "The Pope!" Rather, Christians united to declare: "No King but King Jesus!"

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